Article by John Hammond
Iconic movies often bring with them iconic locations. For instance, the James Bond series has the Giza Plateau in Egypt, and James Bond Island; Phang Nga Bay in Thailand, amongst others. Indiana Jones has Al Khazneh in Jordan (minus the Holy Grail). Even Rocky has the Art Museum Steps in Philadelphia. These are only a minute number of iconic, real-life locations, however, the latest example seems appropriate for this article, and this website. The Joker movie starring Joaquin Phoenix, has added another location in to the mix; the so-called ‘Joker Stairs’ that the character dances down to the tune of a glam rock song, have quickly become one of the newest iconic movie locations.
The stairs, which connect Shakespeare and Anderson Avenues at West 167th Street in the Bronx, have seen a massive influx of visitors since the release of the movie. This has led to a flood of photographs on Instagram where fans are putting their own spin on the scene.
CNN have reported on the influx of visitors to the location and say that it has led to a bit of grumbling from residents. From an economic point of view, however, it may not be a bad thing. The report states that the Bronx is not usually a major tourist attraction, despite having the Yankee Stadium, New York Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo situated there. It’s thought that visitors to the Joker Stairs for their Instagram posts are now far more likely to visit them, as well as other businesses in the area.
For examples on the photos taken at the Joker Stairs, which include full on cosplay, check out the #JokersStairs hashtag on Instagram. You’ll also find recreations of the scene and those who just want to be there.
If you have visited the site yourself, then please let us know in the comments below.
Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz and Robert De Niro is in cinemas now.
